No matter if geographical constraints or pandemic rules are stopping you from holding a company or private event, here’s a great solution for you—virtual events. Thanks to video streaming services, you can create an online live event that will bring your audience together and allow you to share your ideas or promote a product. However, if this is your first time tackling something like this, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you have a successful event, so take a look.
Listen to your audience
You need to get to know your target audience. Are they tech-savvy? What are they interested in when it comes to your company or brand? Are they active on social media? What kind of offers do they prefer? In order to acquire that information, you can start planning your event by sending a survey with all the questions you need to find out answers to. This will give you valuable information on your audience and show you in which direction to push your virtual event.
Settle on a format
Just like physical conferences, virtual events also can be done in many formats from seminars with one speaker to trade shows and workshops with many people actively participating. What you want is to create a unique experience for your audience, so try to think outside the box to beat your competition. If you have the money, you can hire a designer to create a personalized theme for your event to make it visually attractive yet easy to navigate for all parties.
Choose a platform
Today, you can find many livestream services, but you need to settle on one that fits your particular event needs to the T. If you find a reliable platform for virtual events, you can ensure a good audio stream and great event organization. Best platforms even offer services such as a full production crew, professional presenters and excellent audio mix minus’ to remove the chance of audio feedback. Choosing the right platform can make or break your event, so pick carefully and go only for professional platforms with a reliable crew and help.
Designate a host
Every event needs a host, even a virtual one, so you can consider hiring a professional speaker (if your platform doesn’t provide one) or you can go with an in-house team member with some hosting experience. Your host should be able to speak clearly, answer questions live or on social media, and look and feel comfortable in front of cameras, preferably without a script in their hands.
Your host should also be witty and quick with their response to unexpected issues. Let’s say your speaker is late—can your host stall the show and keep the viewers entertained until the speaker arrives? One thing that can help with this issue is to hire two hosts who can speak to each other and the audience. Ideally, they should have a good connection and chemistry to respond to each other’s zingers.
Choose the venue
Your event is virtual, so why do you need a venue? While you can host from your office or living room (it saves a lot of money and time) your event won’t look professional and high-class. It’s best to have a space for your speaker and presenters and a way to show off your products or skills. Sure, you don’t need anything overly lavish, but a venue with a stage, a podium and good audio-visual equipment is still a must if you want to leave a good impression.
Don’t forget marketing
Just like with any typical event, you need to market your virtual event. One cheap and easy way to do so is to use social media. There are many usual methods of social media marketing like Facebook posts and tweets, but if you want to reach a bigger number of people, consider incorporating other methods as well. Platforms like Instagram and Snapchat can be used for showing off your venue, teasing the content and boosting interest and anticipation. Create an event hashtag and use it with every post you make concerning the event. To provide additional information, including speaker bios, vlogs, and tutorials on how to watch your virtual event.
Hosting a virtual event is easier and more effective than ever before. So make sure to take advantage of the information age we live in to build your audience and grow your brand through virtual events everyone can participate in.
